Pickfords voted in the Top Ten Best International Movers

Pickfords has been voted in the Top Ten International Movers by Which Offshore, an independent online consumer resource for those seeking information and advice about expatriate life and offshore finance.

The team at Which Offshore tested more than 70 UK-based removal companies by rating the information available on their website, online customer reviews, ease of contact, helpfulness of staff, the time taken to respond to an enquiry and the quoted price. Each company was asked to quote for a family of 4 (two adults, two kids) moving a total of 1,000 cubic ft of contents from a 2 bedroom flat in London, to a flat in Barcelona, with no elevators available at either location.

If you’re thinking about moving overseas, here are some useful tips to make the process that little bit easier…

Choose the type of service
It is important to know the difference between part and dedicated loads. Part load removals are cheaper, as furniture is shipped at the same time as someone else relocating. Although it might take a little longer, as the companies try to coordinate shipments to the same destination. If you prefer it to happen faster, a dedicated removal might be the better option.

Packing and Insurance
As many of the removal companies point out, packing itself doesn’t affect the quote as much contrary to what many people believe. You can save up a few pounds by putting everything in boxes yourself and only having the removal company pick it up, but you may miss out on insurance coverage.

Plan ahead
Make sure you have every detail such as date, time of arrival arranged with the removal company beforehand. Packing always takes longer than you think it will. It is only when you start putting things in boxes that you realize how much you have gathered over time. Plan to pack well in advance, and give yourself extra time, just in case.

Decide what to take
We all know that we keep a lot of things for sentimental value, nostalgia or just because you ‘could use it one day’. Take some time to really consider whether it is worth taking with you, or if it might be time to bring it to a relatives’ garage for safe-keeping. If there was a time to have a clean out, it’s now.

Make an inventory
When the time comes to move, it is easy to lose sight of everything you are taking with you. Especially if you’re leaving items behind or storing them, create a list of what’s where for future reference.